


Unintended

by GoodGollyMissYollie (Yollie183)



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Fluff, I Don't Even Know, M/M, Muse - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-16
Updated: 2015-03-16
Packaged: 2018-03-18 04:10:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,645
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3555539
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yollie183/pseuds/GoodGollyMissYollie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dan never intended to feel this way.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Unintended

**Author's Note:**

> Title and lyrics from Unintended by Muse

“So,” Chris said, “please don’t be late. And remember I’m bringing Phil.”

“Who?” Dan said distractedly, holding up a shirt for Chris’ inspection. They were in Dan’s favourite clothing store.  

“Too black,” Chris said, shaking his head. “Phil, I told you about him, he just moved to London from up north. He doesn’t know too many people yet.”

“Oh, right,” Dan nodded, holding up another shirt, this one white with little black patterns covering it. Chris nodded in approval.

 

Later that evening, Dan was stood in front of the full-length mirror in the bedroom he shared with his girlfriend, fiddling with his hair to make it lay just so.

“You spend more time on your hair than I do,” Kate said, coming to stand beside him. She turned around, sweeping her blonde curls over her shoulder. “Zip me up, please, love?”

Dan abandoned his hair, pulling up the zipper on Kate’s candy-pink dress.

“How do I look?” She asked, eyeing herself in the mirror.

“Beautiful as always,” Dan answered, giving her a dimpled smile. “You look good in this colour.”

She nodded, moving away to slide her feet into silver heels. “Not sure about that shirt,” she said over her shoulder. 

Dan turned back to the mirror, ignoring Kate’s remark about his shirt. He liked it. Besides, he was a grown man, he was allowed to dress himself.

They arrived at the restaurant exactly sixteen minutes late. Kate gave Dan an annoyed look when Chris joked about it as he met them at the door.

“I am nothing if not fashionably late,” Dan said, with a smile he didn’t really feel.

Chris led them to a table where PJ was sitting next to a man with black hair and startlingly blue eyes. Dan tried his best not to be too awkward as he was introduced.

“I’m Dan,” he said, thankful that he didn’t trip over the words. “This is my girlfriend, Kate.”

“I’m Phil,” said Phil, shaking hands with them both. “It’s nice to meet you.”

Chris took it upon himself to break the ice with a well-placed anecdote about Dan’s timekeeping that made even Kate smile.

Dan learned quite a bit about Phil as Chris and PJ gently interrogated him. He was twenty-eight, loved anime and reading and had a rather cute obsession with lions. A little voice in Dan’s head murmured _‘you said cute’._ Dan decided to ignore the voice and instead took a sip of his wine. It was okay to say ‘cute’, wasn’t it?

After dinner, Chris insisted on going to a new club that had opened not too far from the restaurant.

“Come on, guys,” he said cheerfully, “the night is young, we are young, let’s go dance!”

Dan allowed himself to be swept up in his friends’ enthusiasm and before long found himself on a darkened dance floor, sandwiched between Kate and Phil. Phil was giggling, presumably at his own horrible dancing and Dan couldn’t help but join in.

“Don’t laugh,” Phil said with mock reproach in his voice. “It’s about having fun, not doing a Beyonce impression!”

“You do seem to be enjoying yourself, at least,” Dan said, giving Phil a half smile before turning to Kate. “I’m going to get a drink, want anything?”

She shook her head. Dan made his way off the dance floor. To his surprise, Phil came with him.

“Whew,” Phil said, trying to fan himself with one hand, which made Dan laugh again.

“Are you always this adorable, or just when you’ve had two bottles of wine?” Dan asked, then immediately wondered where on earth that had come from. What kind of man called another _adorable_?

But Phil didn’t seem to mind. He gave a smile, tongue peeking out between his teeth and nodded. “It’s a 24/7 thing, I’m told.”

They found two stools at the bar and ordered drinks.

“So what brings you to London?” Dan asked, stirring his drink with a plastic stick shaped like a monkey.

“Work,” Phil replied. “I got a job at a production company. I want to be a director someday, maybe, I think.”

Suddenly, Dan realized he’d seen Phil before. It was the tongue-poking-between-teeth smile that jarred his memory.

“I know you!” Dan exclaimed, making Phil jump a bit. “Yeah,” Dan continued, “you used to make videos on YouTube! AmazingPhil!”

Phil’s utterly shocked expression confirmed Dan’s statement.

“That was years ago,” Phil said, rather weakly.

“Oh my god, I used to love your videos, I subscribed and everything!” Dan said, wondering exactly how weird Phil thought he was.

But Phil just gave another wide smile. “Really? They’re so cringe-y now.”

“What’s cringe-y?” Kate’s voice suddenly said from Dan’s other side.

“AmazingPhil,” Dan said, not bothering to explain further. Kate shared very little of his interests. Dan knew she would neither know nor care about AmazingPhil. And some selfish part of him didn’t want to share those videos - and how they made him feel - with anyone.

“Hey, Phil,” PJ said, joining them. “That guy over there’s been checking you out for about half an hour, you should go say ‘hi’.”

Dan heard Kate’s little sniff as Phil, blushing, looked toward the young blond man at the other end of the bar.

“You’re gay?” Kate asked, before Dan could say anything to stop her.

“Uhm,” Phil glanced at her, his face suddenly guarded at the tone of her voice.

“Kate,” Dan tried, but she ignored him, staring at Phil with an ugly expression on her face.

“I’m bi, I suppose,” Phil looked horribly uncomfortable.

“Kate, please,” Dan murmured, touching her arm. “Let’s go dance.”

He gave Phil an apologetic look, mouthing ‘I’m sorry’ over Kate’s head as he led her onto the dance floor, before she could say anything else.

When they got back to the bar, Phil had gone.

 

The next morning at work, instead of preparing for that night’s radio show, Dan spent two hours on the phone with Chris.

“Chris, please, just give me his number,” Dan pleaded for the sixteenth time (yes, he counted). “I really just want to apologize.”

On the other end of the line, he heard Chris sigh. _“It was utterly uncalled for, the way Kate spoke to him.”_

“I _know_ ,” Dan intoned, “which is why I want to call him and apologize.”

“ _What’s Kate’s issue with sexuality, anyway?_ ”

Dan knew Chris was stalling, caught between making sure Dan and Kate never got close to Phil ever again and making sure Phil got the apology he deserved.

“It’s the church thing, we’ve talked about this before,” Dan reminded Chris as patiently as he could while tapping a staccato rhythm against his desk with his free hand.

“ _Fine,_ ” Chris finally said, “ _do you have a pen?_ ”

Dan ended his call with Chris and stared at the digits written in his messy scrawl across a yellow post-it note.

 _Just call,_ Dan told himself, _just call and say sorry and that’s it. No need to be nervous, Dan._

He dialled Phil’s number, scrunching his eyes closed as it started to ring.

“ _Hello?_ ” Phil answered after the fifth ring.

“Uh... Hi, Phil,” Dan tried to keep his voice level. “It’s Dan, we... uh... we met the other night.”

“ _Yes._ ” Phil’s voice was suddenly glacial. “ _I remember._ ”

“Oh,” Dan swallowed heavily. “I just called to... uhm... apologize for how Kate acted. She’s... uhm... see, she belongs to this church and they sort of... uhm... disapprove of... er... anything that’s not heterosexuality, to be honest.” Dan said the last five words in a rush, waiting tensely for Phil’s response, hoping he wouldn’t just hang up.

“ _Right._ ” Phil’s voice was still cold. “ _And you?_ ”

“Me what?”

“ _Do you disapprove, too?_ ” Phil sounded impatient.

“No!” Dan said truthfully. “It really doesn’t matter to me, either way. I don’t share Kate’s archaic views. And I really am sorry.”

“ _Fine,_ ” Phil said after a pause.

 

Two days later, Chris invited Dan to join him, PJ and Phil for a boy’s night of pizza and video games. Dan accepted eagerly.

He arrived at Chris’ place ten minutes late. He kept fidgeting with his hair as he climbed the steps, wondering ( _why?_ Dan didn’t know) if he looked okay. Chris answered the door with a shocking pink cocktail in his hand and a wide smile on his face.

“Come in, my good man, come in,” he said jovially and handed Dan the cocktail. It tasted like strawberries and tequila, which was a surprisingly good combination in Dan’s humble opinion. He followed Chris into the lounge, greeting PJ and Phil (rather shyly). Phil didn’t seem to harbour too much resentment toward Dan, at least, for which Dan was abundantly grateful. Dan sat down next to Phil, who immediately swapped his lime-green drink for Dan’s pink one.

“You owe me,” Phil said with a half-smile. Dan nodded, taking a sip of the drink while wondering if it was radioactive. It tasted like apples.

A small, shimmering bubble of happiness was inflating in Dan’s chest. It was something he hadn’t felt since he was nineteen. He took another sip of his drink, glancing sideways at Phil.

The evening passed in laughter and yelling at each other over Mario Kart and by the end of it, Dan was almost sad that it couldn’t last longer.

Phil walked out of the building with Dan, still giggling drunkenly at whatever joke they’d been laughing at last.

“Want to share a cab?” Dan asked, struggling to tone down his grin into a more normal smile.

Phil nodded and they hailed the next black cab they saw, giving the driver Phil’s address. When the car pulled up outside the building, Phil grabbed Dan’s hand, tugging him onto the pavement.

“You should come in for some coffee,” Phil said decisively, already dragging Dan along toward the entrance. Dan followed without complaint, trying not to dwell too much on the warmth of Phil’s hand covering his.

Phil only let go when they reached his front door. He led Dan inside and through to the kitchen. Dan looked around the lounge appreciatively as they passed, noticing a framed Muse poster on one wall and a huge stuffed lion on the sofa.

He leaned against the kitchen counter, watching as Phil made coffee.

Maybe it was the six radioactively coloured cocktails, or the buzz from having a good time, but Dan was feeling a sort of nervous fascination with Phil. He’d loved AmazingPhil’s videos, had watched each one at least half a dozen times. He remembered all those lonely days, dreading school, not looking forward to free time because he had no one to share it with. One of the few things that could cheer him up was YouTube and specifically a black-haired, blue-eyed guy named Phil. And now here Dan was, in his kitchen, with his hand still tingling from Phil’s touch.

He smiled and thanked Phil as the older man handed him a One Direction mug. He sipped the hot liquid as they moved to the lounge, sitting closer than they really needed to on the sofa.

They talked for hours, about anime and video games and movies and their lives. The sky was starting to lighten through the windows, when Dan realized how much trouble he’d be in when he got home. He turned to Phil to tell him he had to leave, but meeting those intense blue eyes, Dan changed what he was going to say.

“Why did you stop making videos?” Dan wasn’t sure where the question came from.

“I don’t know,” Phil gave a half-shrug, “I outgrew it, I guess.”

Dan nodded. He remembered when the videos stopped. How he had checked Twitter and YouTube everyday for weeks, a strange sadness seeping through his bones when he realized that there were no more. It felt like he’d lost his only real friend. He didn’t tell Phil this, instead he smiled, thanked Phil for the coffee and said he had to leave before Kate woke up and started calling. Phil’s eyes flickered away at the mention of her name, but he seemed to shake it off as he said goodbye to Dan at his door.

 

Dan went home, crawling into bed beside a slumbering Kate and fell asleep with a smile playing around his lips.

“Dan!” Kate’s voice was loud in his ears and he startled awake.

“What’s wrong?” Dan mumbled, blinking in the sunlight streaming through the window.

“It’s almost noon!” Kate was frowning. “We were supposed to go out for lunch, remember?”

“Yeah,” Dan nodded, getting up. “Just give me ten minutes, okay?”

Kate nodded. Dan could feel her gaze on his back as he stumbled into the bathroom to take a quick shower.

He got dressed as quickly as possible, foregoing straightening his hair. He grabbed his phone off the nightstand as he pushed his feet into his shoes.

There was a text from Phil:

 

**Rawr! (It’s lion-speak for ‘hello’)**

Dan chuckled. His smile stayed in place for the rest of the day.

 

Over the next three weeks, Dan and Phil formed a friendship that overshadowed any other. They became all but inseparable, no mean feat considering Kate vehemently disapproved of Phil. More than once, she’d tried to get Dan to come to church with her.

Each time he’d asked one question: Did they still think being gay is a sin?

Each time she’d said ‘yes’ and Dan had refused to go.

This caused tension in their relationship that finally broke in a huge argument.

It was a rainy afternoon and they were watching Glee. Kate gave little titters each time Kurt’s homosexuality was mentioned and after four episodes, Dan was fed up.

“If you hate Kurt so much, why watch this show?” He asked impatiently, pausing it.

“Because despite the depravity, it’s really good!” Kate looked up at him, her hazel eyes wide.

“Depravity?” Dan was sure he’d misheard.

“Well,” Kate sat up straighter, “Pastor Ben calls it that.”

“You can’t be serious,” Dan made a motion with his hand. “It’s 2015, not 1815. It’s just a part of being human, not a disease or a condition that can be changed.”

“Honey, really now,” Kate said, with the air of explaining a simple equation to a child. “The bible is very clear about it being an abomination.”

“Right, but the bible also says you can’t eat pork or shellfish and that women should be locked up during their periods! I didn’t see you declining bacon this morning. Or locking yourself up alone two weeks ago!”

Kate looked scandalized. “That’s different!”

“Oh, really? How?”

Kate didn’t answer and Dan rolled his eyes, getting up from the sofa.

“Where are you going?” Kate called as he walked out of the lounge.

“To Phil’s! You better pray that he doesn’t infect me with his _depravity_ ,” Dan spat as he grabbed his coat. He slammed the door behind him, feeling a petty sort of satisfaction.

 

Fifteen minutes later, Dan knocked on Phil’s door. Phil was wearing a yellow Jake hoodie and Dan had a momentary impulse to hug him and never let go. Instead, he stormed past Phil and began raving about Kate and Glee and Pastor Ben. Phil listened intently, perching on the arm of the sofa, his eyes following Dan as the younger man paced around the lounge.

“And then she said he calls it a _depravity!_ Like it’s the same as necrophilia or something! I mean, sure, she’s entitled to her opinion, but she should at least respect mine! And yours, I suppose. But still! I looked it up, the same part of the bible that says being gay is wrong also says you shouldn’t eat bacon! For fuck’s sake, at least be consistent about what sin is! And don’t get me started on work! Kate’s been nagging me to be more ambitious! Can you believe it? Apparently being on Radio 1 five nights a week is not good enough! I love my job! How would I have even gotten it without ambition, I ask you?! God, I swear, sometimes I look at her and I can’t even remember why I fell in love with her in the first place.”

Here Dan paused, looking over at Phil, then down at the rug.

“Did she change? Did I change?” Dan asked the floor. “I just miss the way we used to be. Did you know I’ve never beaten her at Tekken? We always had so much fun together. And we never used to fight. We’d have these debates instead, where we talked through stuff we didn’t agree on.”

Dan sat down on the rug, hugging his knees. After a moment, he felt Phil’s hand on his shoulder.

“I’m sorry,” Phil said quietly.

Dan looked up at him. “I’m going to break up with her.” Dan felt miserable admitting it. He felt even worse at the voice in his head saying _‘if she’s out of the way, maybe you’ll have a chance with him’_.

“Dan,” Phil said hesitantly, “just so you know, I don’t mind her religious stuff that much.”

“But I do,” Dan said. “I’ve never agreed with her about it. It’s just lately that instead of disagreeing, we’re fighting.”

“I’m going to make you some hot chocolate,” Phil announced, getting to his feet. “Please get off the floor. Sit on the sofa, it’s much more comfortable.

Dan sat on the sofa, pulling the blanket Phil must have been sitting under over himself, burying his face in the softness. He could smell Phil’s aftershave and he took a deep breath, his tensed muscles finally relaxing.

Phil came back with the hot chocolate and they shared the blanket while watching American Horror Story. Dan rested his head on Phil’s shoulder and for a fleeting moment thought he felt lips press a gentle kiss to his hair.

 

As break ups go, Dan and Kate’s went quite smoothly. For almost two weeks he didn’t see or speak to Phil as he tried to get his life sorted. Even though the apartment technically belonged to him, Dan moved out. He got a smaller place near Phil’s and covered the entire apartment with all the ornaments and art that Kate never liked. As a housewarming/ commiseration gift, Phil had gotten him a large framed Pokémon poster that he hung in the lounge. It was good to see Phil again, unencumbered by Kate’s disapproval. After only a couple of days the new apartment felt like home. Phil’s regular presence was also an upside, Dan decided.

 

“Did you know that ostriches can roar like lions?” Phil asked, stirring a disquieting amount of sugar into his coffee.

“No, Phil,” Dan answered. “I did not know that.”

They were sitting in Starbucks, next to a window covered in condensation.

“Apparently they do,” Phil said, matter-of-factly.

Dan chuckled, sipping his vaguely Christmassy drink. It was barely December, and the whole of London was already decked out to resemble the North Pole.

“We should go see that movie you were talking about,” Dan said, waving one hand in a languid motion.

“Okay,” Phil nodded. He was staring intently at Dan.

“What?” Dan wondered if he had something on his face.

“Do you miss Kate?”

The question took Dan by surprise. He considered for a second before shaking his head. “Not as much as I thought I would. I guess it sounds kind of harsh, but I feel better without her.”

Phil nodded, his eyes dropping to his mug.

They sat in silence for a moment, then Phil spoke again.

“I think I’m in love with you.”

The words were quiet, a calm statement, but Dan felt as though a raging inferno tore through his chest. He looked at Phil, still gazing into his coffee, struggling to remember how to speak. Finally, Dan’s brain untangled itself enough to form words.

“Phil...”

“Never mind!” Phil exclaimed, too loudly, his cheeks flushed a bright pink. He got to his feet, evidently interpreting Dan’s shock as a rejection. “Forget I said anything!” He was out of the door before Dan could get to his feet.

He followed Phil out into the cold street, barely making out the familiar space coat.

“Phil! Wait!” Dan shouted, running after Phil. By the time he finally caught up, Dan was completely out of breath, his chest burning. He gripped Phil’s sleeve as he gulped down air.

“Why did you run away?” Dan wheezed, coughing a little.

“You know why.” Phil’s voice was cold, but Dan could hear the little catch in his throat.

Dan tugged on Phil’s sleeve, stepping in front of him look at his face. His eyes were more green than blue, shimmering with unshed tears.

“Silly Phil,” Dan said, but Phil cut him off before he could finish the sentence.

“Yeah, I’m stupid, I know.” Phil pulled his arm out of Dan’s grip and started walking away again.

“For fuck’s sake, Phil!” This time Dan grabbed Phil around the waist. “Can you just stay put long enough for me to tell you I’m in love with you too?!”

Phil stopped struggling. Dan took the opportunity to step in front of Phil again, placing one hand on the small of his back and cupping his chin with the other.

“I’m going to kiss you now, please don’t try to escape,” Dan murmured.

Phil’s little giggle was smothered by Dan’s lips against his. They kissed for a long while, ignorant of the people around them, wrapped in a bubble of each other’s presence.

 

Much later, long after night had fallen across London, Dan and Phil lay tangled in Dan’s bed.

“I think I could spend the rest of my life right here,” Dan whispered, his lips brushing over Phil’s with each word.

With a smooth motion, Phil turned over, trapping Dan below him. He kissed Dan, conveying in the movement of lips and hands and body everything he couldn’t find the words to say.

**Author's Note:**

> Lyrics: 
> 
> You could be my unintended  
> Choice to live my life extended  
> You could be the one I'll always love  
> You could be the one who listens to my deepest inquisitions  
> You could be the one I'll always love
> 
> First there was the one who challenged  
> All my dreams and all my balance  
> She could never be as good as you
> 
> You could be my unintended  
> Choice to live my life extended  
> You should be the one I'll always love
> 
> I'll be there as soon as I can  
> But I'm busy mending broken pieces of the life I had before
> 
> Before you


End file.
